1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to radio frequency signal processing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system which prevents the loss of RF signal phase and amplitude information when the data is being processed by a countermeasure system or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, transmission of RF signal amplitude and phase information from a receiver antenna to an RF signal processing device always occurred by utilizing RF electrical cables to transfer the amplitude and phase information from the receiving antenna to the processing device. The RF signal is an electro-magnetic waveform received by the antenna and then converted to an equivalent RF electrical signal. Phase and amplitude information can easily change during the transfer due to cable problems and other deficiencies in an RF system. Cable leakage, temperature variations, amplifier stability and phase compilation problems are representative of the types of problems that can cause substantial variations in the transfer of RF signal amplitude and phase data using RF cables and RF electrical equipment.
Accordingly there is a need to develop an electrical RF signal transfer device which insures that phase and amplitude information are not compromised during transfer and processing of the RF signal by an RF signal device such an electronic countermeasure device.